THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION Comes To The Alley Theatre 6/5-6/28

Aaron Sorkin's new play, The Farnsworth Invention, is a compelling story about the creation of television and in Sorkin's words "the spirit of exploration." The Farnsworth Invention will be the fourth play that David Cromer directs at the Alley, following the hugely successful The Santaland Diaries, The Clean House and Orson's Shadow.

In 1929, two ambitious visionaries race against each other to introduce to the world a revolutionary new device called "television." By the fall of 1921, an Idaho farm boy Philo T. Farnsworth had drawn a diagram of an "image dissector tube" for a prototype electronic television system. As he seeks to develop a functioning machine, Farnsworth is swept into an epic struggle with David Sarnoff, an enterprising media mogul who foresees the lucrative potential of this powerful cultural and scientific invention. Only one man will unlock the key to the greatest innovation of the 20th century and rule the airwaves. Drawn to the story about the race to create an operable television and the competition for the patent right to control the future of this technology, Aaron Sorkin describes his play as "an optimistic story about the spirit of exploration" in a National Public Radio interview.
Recommended for mature audiences. Strong Language.

The Farnsworth Invention by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Cromer begins Friday, June 5 and runs through Sunday, June 28 on the Hubbard Stage.

Aaron Sorkin graduated from Syracuse University with a B.F.A. in Theatre in 1983. He made his Broadway playwriting debut at the age of 28 with the military courtroom drama, A Few Good Men, for which he received the John Gassner Award as Outstanding New American Playwright. His subsequent film adaptation was nominated for four Academy Awards and five Golden Globes, including Best Picture and Best Screenplay. He followed this success with the screenplays for Malice, starring Alec Baldwin and Nicole Kidman, and The American President, starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening. Mr. Sorkin produced and wrote the television series Sports Night for ABC for two years, winning the Humanitas Prize and the Television Critics Association Award. He spent the next four years writing and producing the NBC series The West Wing, winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series all four years. For his work on The West Wing, Mr. Sorkin also twice received the Peabody Award, the Humanitas Prize, the Television Critics Association Award and the Golden Globe, Writers Guild and Producers Guild Awards.
About David Cromer

A native of Chicago, David Cromer is an OBIE and Lortel award-winning director and actor. In order to direct the Alley's production of The Farnsworth Invention, Cromer took a leave from directing and performing as the Stage Manager in the Off-Broadway production of Our Town, called "highly rewarding" by the New York Times. Describing the same production, the Wall Street Journal called David Cromer a "genius," adding "I don't know a more gifted stage director, or one who, at the age of 44, holds out the promise of still greater things to come." The New Yorker said that Cromer's Our Town "provides us with a master class in the fundamental art of making believe." His direction of William Inge's Picnic at the Chicago Writers' Theatre was named the "show of the year" with "rapt staging...way beyond praise" by the Wall Street Journal. In 2008, his Off-Broadway production of Adding Machine: a Musical and Chicago production of Our Town were both named as "memorable nights spent at the theatre this year" by the New York Times. His production of Orson's Shadow, originating at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, moved to Off-Broadway in 2005, his Off-Broadway debut. Among his regional credits, he has directed The Glass Menagerie with Annalee Jefferies as Amanda at Kansas City Rep. The Farnsworth Invention will be the fourth play that David Cromer directs at the Alley, following The Santaland Diaries, The Clean House and Orson's Shadow.

The Farnsworth Invention features Alley Theatre Resident Company Actor Jeffrey Bean as David Sarnoff (Alley's Mauritius, A Christmas Carol, Cyrano de Bergerac) and Brandon Hearnsberger as Philo T. Farnsworth (Alley's Mrs. Warren's Profession, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Unexpected Guest). Also featured are Alley Theatre Resident Company Actors James Black, James Belcher, Elizabeth Bunch, Justin Doran, Elizabeth Heflin, Paul Hope, Chris Hutchison, Charles Krohn, Philip Lehl, Emily Neves, Melissa Pritchett, David Rainey, John Tyson, and Todd Waite.

Also included in the cast are Sara Gaston (Alley's Rock ‘n' Roll, The Man Who Came to Dinner), John Paul Green (Alley's The Lieutenant of Inishmore, A Christmas Carol), Justin O'Brien (Alley's The Man Who Came to Dinner), Ty Doran (Alley's A Christmas Carol, Much Ado About Nothing)
and Sean Hardin (Alley's A Christmas Carol)

The design team of The Farnsworth Invention includes Scenic Design by Takeshi Kata (Alley's Subject to Fits, The Clean House, Orson's Shadow), Costume Design by Janice Pytel (Alley Debut. Broadway credits include 33 Variations, I Am My Own Wife), Lighting Design by Keith Parham (Alley Debut), Original Composition & Sound Design by Josh Schmidt (Alley's Mauritius, Eurydice, The Clean House), Projection Design by Clint Allen (Alley's Rock ‘n' Roll, Underneath the Lintel, The Clean House), and Dramaturgs Mark Bly (Alley Theatre Senior Dramaturg and Director of New Play Development) and Lauren Halvorsen (Alley Theatre Literary Associate).

The Farnsworth Invention is sponsored by Lead Sponsor Enbridge Energy Company, Inc. and The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts and Supporting Sponsor Baker Botts L.L.P. The Alley Theatre is supported by the 2008-2009 season sponsor Continental Airlines, the official airline of the Alley Theatre.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to The Farnsworth Invention start at $21. All tickets for The Farnsworth Invention are available for purchase at www.alleytheatre.org, at the Alley Theatre Box Office, 615 Texas Avenue, or by calling 713.220.5700. Groups of 10 or more can receive special concierge services and select discounts by calling 713.315.3346. The added convenience of reservations by phone or Internet is available for a nominal fee.

CAPTIONED AND AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE
Saturday, June 6, 2:30 PM

The Alley Theatre is pleased to offer open captioning and audio description for many of our productions throughout the season. To ensure that your seats will accommodate your needs, please call the box office 713.220.5700 when ordering tickets to this performance. Discounted tickets are available for groups of ten or more. Call 713.315.3346 for more information.
PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN
Saturday, June 6, 2:30 PM
The Pay-What-You-Can partner for The Farnsworth Invention will be Camp For All - an organization that provides a year-round camp experience for kids and adults with serious illnesses or special needs. The date is Saturday, June 6, beginning at 10:00am. The donated item will be 100% cotton all-white washcloths, for use at the camp this summer. The Alley Theatre continues its efforts to make the theatre affordable to patrons. Partnering with other social non-profit organizations, the Alley seeks to generate in-kind donations and reward patrons with Pay-What-You-Can tickets. Pay-What-You-Can tickets are available in person, the day of the performance only and are limited to two tickets per person and cost a minimum of $10, but patrons are encouraged to Pay-What-They-Can. Purchase in person at the box office (615 Texas Ave.) on the day of the performance only. Cash or check only. Limited availability.

MIX & MINGLE
Thursday, June 11, 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Mix & Mingle is a pre-show mixer that offers complimentary food, fun and fabulous new friends. To buy a ticket, required for the mixer, please contact the box office at 713.220.5700. For more information about Mix and Mingle, visit www.alleytheatre.org.

ACTOUT
Thursday, June 18, 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Houston's premiere theatre group for gay and lesbian theatre fans and their friends celebrate the Alley Theatre's production of The Farnsworth Invention. To find out more visit www.alleytheatre.org. For tickets call 713.220.5700 and mention "ActOUT." Participants must have a ticket to the performance in order to attend this pre-show event.

TALKBACK
Tuesday, June 16, 7:30 PM

Members of the cast return to the stage following the performance to take questions from the audience. TalkBacks are led by a member of the Alley Artistic Staff.

PAGES & STAGES
Tuesday, June 16, 6:30 PM - 7:15 PM

Alley Theatre is partnering with the Houston Public Library and Brazos Bookstore for this new pre-curtain event. The perfect evening for the book worm in every theatre buff, this event combines the imagination of the written word with the excitement of live theatre. It is suggested (but not required) that patrons read the selected book that complements each Hubbard Stage production. Participants will enjoy a pre-curtain discussion group led by special guest Dr. William Douglas, with Alley Theatre Senior Dramaturg and Director of New Play Development Mark Bly, and then attend the performance. For The Farnsworth Invention, the selected piece is The Boy Genius and the Mogul: The Untold Story of Television by Daniel Stashower, available at the downtown branch of the Houston Public Library. Refreshments will be served. After the performance, readers can stay for an additional Talk Back led by Alley cast members and artistic staff. This pre-curtain event is free with your ticket to the Tuesday, June 16, 7:30 PM performance of The Farnsworth Invention. To participate in the pre- and post-show discussions, a ticket must be purchased for the performance. Please call Lizz Eynatten at 713.315.5404, or visit www.alleytheatre.org for details.

 

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